Redwood hiking began today! We decided to check out a spot called Trees of Mystery. In Day 1 of this blog I mentioned that we listened to a podcast during our drive called Dirt in My Shoes, and they discussed visiting this specific park. It was only a 20 minute drive south of our hotel and it seemed like a good place to start our hiking adventures.
We arrived at the park just after it opened at 9:00am, and our timing was perfect. There were not many people there yet and we had much of the trails to ourselves but met enough people to have some quick conversations. We did the park in just over three hours, but the wrist bands they give you allow you to exit and reenter the park the entire day. This is great for those visiting with children or pets that might need breaks outside the park….YES, it is pet friendly!! Pets are not allowed on some of the trails for good reason but most of the park you could bring your pup along! I would say most of the trails in the park are doable for most fitness levels, though there are at least two that may not be suitable for some.
They give you a map, which is at the top of this post, which isn’t super detailed, but we were able to follow it well enough to get around, even on the most difficult trail.
There are so many things to see, there is good signage with descriptions of specific points of interest. The first unique thing we saw was called Nature’s Underpass; and the hubs decided to give it a go!
The next trail might be my favorite of the day; The Canopy Trail! This is a trail that winds among the treetops via suspension bridges that connect from tree to tree with an observation deck surrounding each tree. This trail might not be suitable for everyone, especially if you are afraid of heights. It is a one-way trail, once you start you must finish.
Another favorite site in the park is called the Cathedral Tree. This is an area where they conduct an Easter Service every year and the space can be rented out for weddings…how cool would that be! But what I really liked about this site is the poem stands at the base of the tree…it captures the emotion of this place perfectly!
The Sky Trail is a fun and relaxing trail because it doesn’t require any walking! It is a gondola ride up through 600 feet of the Redwood forest and its canopy. Once at the top there is an observation tower that gives you a great view of the Pacific Ocean through the tree line. Then you can reboard the gondola for a relaxing return trip, BUT…there is another option for returning to the main trail below for the really adventurous. It is called the Wilderness Trail.
Then you can reboard the gondola for a relaxing return trip, BUT…there is another option for returning to the main trail below for the really adventurous. It is called the Wilderness Trail. We were told that it is a challenging two-mile hike suitable only for experienced hikers in good physical condition with proper clothing and footwear. Sign us up!
It wouldn’t be long before we understood they were not exaggerating! Portions of this trail are so steep you need to use a rope to help you navigate the trail safely!
It took us an hour to hike down the 2-miles, 600 feet of elevation…but we did it!
To end our time here we checked out The Towering Inferno. The night of December 22, 1985, a fierce winter storm developed with lots of thunder and lightning. Around 11:00pm lightning struck this tree erupting it in flames. The entire 220 foot tall, 14-foot diameter tree was glowing cherry red from top to bottom, looking like an inferno. The entire inside of the tree was burning, by morning the entire inside was gone leaving the spires that still bear the singed scars of fire.
What an amazing day. To close I will quote the ending to the Cathedral Poem; “Sink down, oh traveler, on your knees, God stands before you in these trees.”
The Wallace Adventure! 